Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD)

Mapping media assistance in Sub-Saharan Africa: Key trends & findings Your guide on how to support journalism and media

📢 The first 2026 edition of #MediaDev Insider is out!

In this issue, find key insights from our new Mapping of Media Assistance and Journalism Support Programmes in #Sub-SaharanAfrica report.

➡️ Explore the full newsletter: mailchi.mp/gfmd.info/me...

At GIJC, we talked to Michael Oghia about the Journalism Cloud Alliance and the importance of trusted partners like FlokiNET. Always grateful to be part of this work. 👏

@oghia.bsky.social
@gfmd.info
@occrp.org
#MediaDev #PressFreedom #JournalismSupport #GIJC #JCA #CloudAlliance

GFMD's impact in 2025 - GFMD It was a challenging year for the media development community, marked by adversity, resilience, and shared achievements. Below, we highlighted GFMD’s impact in 2025 through numbers.

It was a challenging year for the media development community, marked by adversity, resilience, and shared achievements.

We highlighted GFMD’s impact in 2025 through numbers: gfmd.info/gfmds-impact... #MediaDev

It’s time to build, not patch: An end-of-year message from GFMD’s Executive Director - GFMD The next phase of media development is about having the courage to design and build something new.

💬 "𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒙𝒕 𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒂 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒏𝒆𝒘"

Read the full end-of-year message from GFMD's Executive Director @morelliana.bsky.social: gfmd.info/briefings/it... #MediaDev

📣 Join us at the hashtag#WSIS+20 United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting Side Event “𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬” 🗓 15 December 2025 ⏰ 10:00–11:00 New York / 16:00–17:00 CET 🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/dEpmBb8T Media and journalism have long been recognised as key actors in fostering a people-centred and inclusive Information Society. The WSIS+20 Review process and the forthcoming Outcome Document reaffirm the essential role of independent hashtag#media and hashtag#journalism. Co-organised by Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) and ARTICLE 19, this session will explore how WSIS+20 commitments can be turned into practical action at the intersection of media independence and public-interest infrastructure. We’ll also introduce the hashtag#JournalismCloudAlliance (JCA)—a new collaborative effort to advance open, affordable, secure digital tools for journalists. hashtag#MediaDev hashtag#DigitalInfrastructure

📣 Join us at the #WSIS+20 United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting Side Event “𝐀𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬”

🗓 15 December 2025
⏰ 10:00–11:00 New York / 16:00–17:00 CET
🔗 Register here: lnkd.in/dEpmBb8T

New GFMD Steering Committee begins its term and elects Executive Committee for 2025–2029 GFMD convened its newly elected Steering Committee on Thursday, 20 November, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, marking the start of a new four-year term (2025–2029) for the organisation’s governing body.

📢 Today at #GIJC25 the GFMD Steering Committee elected a 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐞 to lead the network in 2025-2029:
🔷 Chair: Rawan Damen (@arijnetwork.bsky.social)
🔷 Deputy Chair: Laxman Datt Pant (Media Action Nepal)
🔷 Treasurer: Caroline Vuillemin (Fondation Hirondelle)

➡️ gfmd.info/gfmd-executi...

ein blauer Text auf weißem Hintergrund

Join us at @gijn.org​'s #GIJC next week for our session with Laura Moore, Dennis Reineck and @tomlawmedia.bsky.social​ that we're co-organizing with @gfmd.info​!


https://impact.gfmd.info/meetings/2025/gijc-2025-events/case-for-funding

DW Akademie is among the more than 100 organizations that support this @gfmd.info call for robust and strategic European Union investment in free and independent media.

⬇️⬇️⬇️

Joint Letter - Invest in Free Media: Europe’s Democratic Foundation - GFMD GFMD and more than 100 organisations call for robust and strategic EU investment in free and independent media in response to the proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028-2...

📰 Independent journalism is essential for democracy.

More than 100 organisations urge the EU to secure long-term funding for public-interest media in the next #MFF.

✍️ Sign and share the joint letter: gfmd.info/joint-letter...
#InvestInFreeMedia #MediaFreedom

Media Policy and Development in Africa: Key Trends and Updates (October 2025) Your guide on how to support journalism and media

📢October edition of MediaDev Insider is out!

In this issue, we focus on Africa – capturing the region’s dynamic media policy and development landscape through a series of high-level dialogues.

➡️ Read it here: mailchi.mp/gfmd.info/me... #MediaDev #Africa

choose truth. choose facts. choose journalism

In a world full of noise, real journalism must be seen and heard for its value to be recognised. Show your support for fact-based news this #WorldNewsDay: Subscribe to trusted news outlets. #ChooseTruth because #JournalismMatters #WND2025

M20 Johannesburg Declaraion | IMS The M20 Declaration calls for significant steps to ensure independent journalism, media pluralism and information integrity are strengthened.

📢 The M20 Johannesburg Declaration sends a powerful message: information integrity is a global public good that must be protected and prioritised.

🔗 Read the full declaration: www.mediasupport.org/news/m20-joh...

Media20 Summit | 1–2 September 2025 | Johannesburg

🌍 M20 Summit | 1–2 September 2025 | Johannesburg

Join us for the #M20Summit, on media & information integrity alongside the G20.

Ivana Bjelic Vucinic (GFMD IMPACT) speaks at “Quickfire Inputs on Key Issues for the Information Ecosystem”

📆 September 2, 11:00 (UTC+2)
👉 Watch live: sabc-plus.com

Who gets to shape the stories about #AI and whose voices are missing?

In our latest #DiversityMatters podcast, Surabhi Srivastava (RNW Media, @gfmd.info ) digs into ethics, labour rights & media gaps.

🎧 Listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/3hj7...

In July 2025, 𝐆𝐅𝐌𝐃 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝 12 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬, from across different continents and reflecting the international nature of the GFMD network:

➡️ Read more about our newest members: lnkd.in/dda9R6dr

This month, in our #MemberSpotlight Series, we shine the spotlight on @impacthub.bsky.social —a trailblazing organisation building Cambodia’s creative and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

💡This month, in our #MemberSpotlight Series, we shine the spotlight on @impacthub.bsky.social —a trailblazing organisation building Cambodia’s creative and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

➡️ Read the full feature here: gfmd.info/member-spotl... #MediaDev

GFMD Members Elect New Steering Committee for 2025–2029 The new Steering Committee will officially begin its four-year term on 20 November 2025 at an in-person meeting during the Global Investigative Journalism Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

🚨 𝐆𝐅𝐌𝐃 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 2025–2029

🗳️ 5 members were elected for a second term
🆕 12 were elected for their first term
♀️♂️13 women, 4 men
📊 76.5% voter turnout

👉 Meet new GFMD Steering Committee Members here: gfmd.info/steering-com... #MediaDev #Journalism

📢 The July edition of MediaDev Insider is out!
➡️ Read the full newsletter here: lnkd.in/d_i4Ti3Z
#MediaDev

GFMD at #IGF2025
We spoke up for ethical AI, media freedom & inclusive digital governance.
📖 Read more: lnkd.in/danJwXsv

Join us for Session 277 "𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐕𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦" at the hashtag#WSIS+20 High-Level Event.

📣 Join us for Session 277 "𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐕𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦" at the #WSIS+20 High-Level Event.

🗓 Monday, 7 July 2025, 🕓 16:00–16:45 (UTC+02:00)

🔗 Learn more about the session here: www.itu.int/net4/wsis/fo...

✉️ Bottom Line is out!
In this issue, Anne Marie Hammer explores Grant Guardian, a tool reshaping how funders vet finances—plus why transparency still matters.
📌 Read the full newsletter: mailchi.mp/gfmd.info/bo... #MediaDev

📣We’re proud to launch the monthly #MemberSpotlight Series to honour the work of our members around the world.
🔦 Our first spotlight features the Media Institute of the Caribbean (MIC): gfmd.info/member-spotl... #MediaDev

Open Call Announcement: Join the Next-IJ Cross-Border Investigative Training Program! | Next-IJ

Are you ready to take your #investigative skills to the next level?

Join OCCRP and Transcrime for a free one-day online training designed for mid-level #journalists working in Europe who want to advance their reporting.

hub.next-ij.eu/news/open-ca...

📢 The second May edition of MediaDev Insider is out!
➡️ Read the full newsletter here: lnkd.in/dbrMCChr
#MediaDev #WPFD25

🌐 At @unesco.org’s #WorldPressFreedomDay 2025 in Brussels (5–7 May), GFMD took an active role in shaping conversations on the future of independent journalism.

➡️ Explore key takeaways and insights: lnkd.in/dKPj4dv7 #MediaDev #WPFD25

hub.next-ij.eu Investigative Journalism Trainings | Next-IJ

Next-IJ (@next-ij.bsky.social) is a new EU-supported initiative led by @occrp.org, Transcrime & @mediagfmd.bsky.social.

They are currently accepting applications for 2 upcoming online trainings (June 26 + July 18).

Apply now: https://twp.ai/9PSiji

🎥 Nominations are now open for the 2025 Press Play Prague Lifetime Achievement Award. Honouring storytellers who champion free expression.

📍Awarded in Prague this October.
🗓️ Deadline: 6 June 2025
📩 Send to: info@pressplayprague.cz
More info here: lnkd.in/eYidW9X8
#PressPlayPrague #MediaDev

Reimagining Funding for Journalism: Key Takeaways from IJF 2025 This roundup highlights key takeaways that emerged from the festival's funding-focused conversations.

💡 Missed @journalismfestival.com in Perugia? We’ve got you covered.
📰 Here’s a quick roundup of key takeaways from the funding-focused sessions at #IJF25, covering everything from impact investing to new models for media sustainability.
🔗 Read more: lnkd.in/dTR4ktap
#MediaDev

Ms. Mira Milosevic (@morelliana.bsky.social), Executive Director of the @mediagfmd.bsky.social: « We need to make sure AI advancements work for the people and the planet, and not just for profit ».